Thomas was incessantly dragging the mouse in front of the office computer.
The webpage was a dia news site, and in a prominent position was a photograph of him with the "Musician" rcenary Group.
In the picture, Song Heping was hooking his arm around Thomas's neck and flashing a V-sign while Thomas's own expression seed sowhat farcical, his smile uglier than a cry.
"Thomas."
Simon's voice, the CIA chief in Baghdad, ca from the doorway.
"SIR!"
He quickly closed the website and stood up.
Simon had apparently already seen the contents of the webpage.
He pushed his gold-rimd glasses up and walked over to Thomas, saying, "The little darlings from the Musician just took away five million dollars."
Thomas's face imdiately heated up, feeling like he had been played and couldn't say anything about it, which was stifling.
"That money shouldn't have been theirs in the first place, we did so much!"
Simon spread his hands and said, "Forget it, five million is a small matter, there's more important business to deal with now."
"What's that?"
"This, take a look."
Simon tossed a file onto the desk.
Thomas picked it up and his face turned even uglier.
"The Old Witch Nancy wants to see soone from the Musician?"
He could hardly believe his eyes.
Who was Nancy?
She was the whip of the Donkey Party.
This person had always been haughty, especially despising China and Russia.
She was actually going to see Song He and his cooks?
Wasn't this like the sun rising from the west?
"What is she trying to do?" said Thomas. "Is she trying to embarrass us on purpose?"
Simon said, "Thomas..."
He chuckled bitterly, thinking that Thomas, with his military background, might be good at fighting wars, but when it ca to playing power gas, he wasn't in the sa league as the politicians.
"You're underestimating the Old Witch Nancy."
He got up and went over to the coffee machine, poured himself a cup of coffee, and then returned to Thomas.
"Her official reason for coming here is to visit the coalition troops and listen to the Temporary Managent Committee's report on forming a temporary governnt, but in reality, that's not what she's here for."
"Then..."
Thomas thought for a mont as if he suddenly had a realization.
"She's coming to get involved with the project managent committee!"
Simon said, "Exactly, the passenger list for her flight includes Philip Wood, the CEO of Wood Company. It looks like she's coming for the oilfield contract."
"Oilfields?!"
Thomas's mind suddenly lit up.
So it was for this.
The Old Witch sure doesn't get up early for nothing.
Though Illiguo is still rife with Suicide Squads and Resistance Organization activities in many areas, the south has been essentially brought under control. Oil fields there were sabotaged by Sadam's Suicide Squads before they withdrew—many were set ablaze, and so were outright destroyed.
Therefore, in the reconstruction project, the restoration of the oil fields and future energy initiatives were definitely lucrative prospects that everyone wanted a piece of.
The financial backers of the Donkey and Elephant parties naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity; they all wanted to get their hands in it.
Using the reconstruction funds to bring the oil fields back into production, one could make a fortune here. After completion, through equity acquisition and cooperation, it would only take retaining the forr local employees and sending in so core staff to control an oil field.
The extracted oil could be sold all over the world, with profits shared with the Temporary Managent Committee.
No matter how you looked at it, it was a highly profitable surefire deal.
Wood was Nancy's campaign financier, and in turn, Nancy naturally wanted to help Wood get a substantial return from this Illiguo war.
"She wants the contract for the reconstruction of the oil fields?" Thomas couldn't help but snort, "I'm afraid it's too late for that!"
The oil fields in the south had already been secured by the Halliburton Company, a company where Vice President Chene once served as CEO. It was clearly impossible for Nancy to tamper with the cake that Halliburton Company had already in its grasp.
"The northern oil fields," Simon said. "She now wants the northern oil fields."
Thomas said, "The northern oil fields? That place is a complete ss right now. Local forces, Kurdish Ard, as well as Suicide Squads and local Resistance Organizations, are all vying for control. Even the military hasn't been able to take full charge of the area. Can Wood Company gain a foothold there?
Besides, the White House and military have already made deals with Halliburton Company; the Old Witch has no place to intervene!"
"If you had said this a few days ago, perhaps it would have been true," Simon said. "But today is different. I just finished a eting with the top brass of the military, and they are willing to make concessions."
"What!?" Thomas exclaid in surprise. "The military is actually giving in? Those tight-fisted old n who never share are conceding?"
Simon said, "Of course they are, because capturing Sayif was done by Nancy's niece. Haven't you seen the overwhelming coverage of Angel these past few days? Moreover, it's the dia controlled by the Donkey Party that's been the most fervent, trying to build Angel into a heroic figure and, by extension, gain a foothold in the interrogation of Sayif and the tracking of Sadam's hideouts."
"If the military didn't agree, the pursuit of the gold and tracking Sadam's movents were likely to get pretty thorny. Nancy could manufacture plenty of obstacles, and it would also affect us, since we and the military are currently in the sa boat.
So, for the greater good, offering the contract for the northern oil fields as a bargaining chip seems to be sothing the military is willing to compromise on."
Thomas, rembering why their operation failed, was at a loss for breath and dared not make a sound.
After thinking it over, he took responsibility and said, "SIR, this is all my fault."
Simon patted his shoulder and said, "It's alright; they caught the person, after all. But the higher-ups an that Nancy and Wood can have the contract for the northern oil fields, only, we are not obligated to provide any security guarantees for them..."
"No security?" Thomas asked, astonished.
"It's not that there's no security," Simon explained. "After all, Wood Company is an enterprise from Country M, and of course we need to deploy support if there's an issue. We are also supposed to provide them with early warning intelligence resources, but you see, there are levels of efficiency to our support. You get my drift, don't you?"
Thomas finally caught on and nodded repeatedly, "I understand. When they're worn out, they'll naturally give up."
One major problem with taking over oil fields is that they are often attacked by Suicide Squads and Resistance Forces.
Despite the Coalition Forces' power, they can't provide all-around protection, so the daily defense of these oil fields must be the responsibility of rcenaries.
Simon's intentions were quite explicit.
Since Wood Company had obtained the reconstruction contract for the northern oil fields with the Old Witch Nancy's help, it was clear there was no overt way to oppose it now. If overt ans won't work, then it's ti for underhanded thods.
Isn't that area insecure?
If it is insecure, that's perfect.
Once Wood Company has had its fill of suffering, they will naturally leave.
At this thought, Thomas couldn't help but admire the shrewd tactics of these military and political old foxes.
"SIR, then what are your instructions for ?"
"Here's the thing, those northern forces we've been in contact with, especially the organizations that are friendly to us, you're responsible for getting in touch with them, explaining the situation, tell them what to do. Create so minor troubles for Wood Company at just the right mont to make them retreat knowing the difficulties."
Thomas's eyes lit up, "I got it!"
Seeing his objective had been achieved, Simon smiled again and patted Thomas's shoulder, then turned and walked out the door.
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